Many telephone calls are not completed because there is nobody in attendance to answer the telephone. People have attempted to get around this problem by installing answering machines and their more sophisticated brethren, the voice mail system. However, many people dislike talking to an answering machine or a voice mail system; and, if the call is long distance, then toll charges apply and the calling party must pay for the dubious privilege of listening to the message on the answering machine.
A mechanism is needed that does not cost the calling party anything if no one is there to receive the call yet identifies the calling party and how to contact them.
The present invention performs this task in a novel manner.
The telephone operating companies around the world are currently deploying Signalling System 7 (SS7) control links within their telephone networks. These links are used to pass control information between telephone switches to allow more efficent use of network resources. One piece of information that is transmitted along these links is commonly referred to as the Incoming Calling Line IDentification (ICLID). This is (typically) the Diallable Number (DN) representing the Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) from which the call is being placed.
Many forms of providing the ICLID to the called party are available or proposed. Historically (prior to the introduction of SS7), this ICLID was only available for calls that originated and terminated on the same telephone switch. An example is the internal extension number that has long been available on CENTREX.RTM. systems. Today, ICLID information is currently being made available on a more general basis in North America through the services referred to as Custom Local Area Signalling Services (CLASS) in the USA and Call Management Services (CMS) in Canada. As well, the proposed ISDN networks will have ICLID delivery capabilities.
The present invention makes use of this ICLID information to provide automated attendant functions.